Veteran Organizations
Maybe making quilts isn’t your thing, but you still want to get involved. Or maybe you’re looking to do even more? Check out these organizations to see how you can get involved in lending a voice and hand to veterans’ issues today.
American Veterans for Equal Rights (AVER) is a non-profit, non-partisan, chapter-based veteran service organization of active, reserve, and veteran service members dedicated to full and equal rights and equitable treatment for all present and former members of the U.S. Armed Forces, especially the LGBTQ current and prior military personnel who have been historically disenfranchised by armed-forces policy and discriminatory laws governing military service and benefits.
National Association of Minority Veterans (NAMVETS) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) leadership organization that works to develop and implement programs, projects, and initiatives that positively impact the lives of military veterans of color. NAMVETS’ focus is on developing and implementing programs that create jobs, provide housing, and connect veterans to opportunities.
Minority Veterans of America (MVA) is a non-partisan, non-profit 501(c)(3) organization designed to create belonging and advance equity for underrepresented veterans, including women, people of color, LGBTQ, and religious minorities. They aim to transform the narrative of the American veteran.
Continue to Serve is an organization comprised of veterans who are remembering their oath and standing up for all who are being denied justice, liberty, and equality. Their motto is, “We are veterans and we can stay silent no more.” Whether this is standing up for the Black Lives Matter movement, fighting for immigration rights for those the U.S. government is holding in camps in Texas, or holding law enforcement and the federal government accountable for their actions, the veterans of Continue to Serve strive to uphold their oath to support and defend the Constitution and the citizens it represents.
The Transgender American Veterans Association (TAVA) advocates for the equality of transgender veterans and active-duty service members to receive fair and equal treatment in areas such as health care, benefits, and open transgender military service. TAVA helps veterans change their name and gender within the Department of Veteran Affairs; update their DD 214 name and characterization of discharge; and provide services such as a transgender support locator, which offers local support for transgender persons. TAVA is committed to equal rights for all veterans.
Disabled American Vets (DAV) provides a lifetime of support for veterans of all generations and their families in positive, life-changing ways. DAV ensures veterans and their families can access the full range of benefits they deserve, provides care and support during tough times, advocates for the veteran community on Capitol Hill, connects veterans with meaningful employment, and much more.
Team Rubicon is a 501(c)3 nonprofit that utilizes the skills and experiences of military veterans with first responders to rapidly deploy emergency response teams. Founded in 2010, Team Rubicon has deployed across the United States and around the world to provide immediate relief to those impacted by disasters and humanitarian crises.
Warrior Dog Foundation transitions our country’s working K9s from an operational environment into retirement by providing mental and physical rehabilitation and rehoming options to Military Working Dogs (MWD), Contract Working Dogs (CWD), and Law Enforcement K9s that otherwise would be euthanized.
K9s For Warriors is the nation’s largest provider of service dogs to military veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress, traumatic brain injuries, and/or military sexual trauma. Their program is unique, comprehensive, and proven thanks to research by Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine. K9s For Warriors provides each warrior with a service canine, equipment, training, certification, seminars, legal instruction, vet care, housing, home-cooked meals, unconditional love and listening, and a life-time of wrap-around services.
Veterans Community Project (VCP) is dedicated to supporting every man and woman who took the oath for our country. They are determined to make a difference in the lives of homeless veterans, a task accomplished by the community for the community through the creation of tiny home villages for veterans and veteran outreach centers that provide a multitude of services.
Home Base, a partnership of the Red Sox Foundation and Massachusetts General Hospital, is a multi-disciplinary team of experts working together to help service members, veterans, and their families heal from the invisible wounds of traumatic brain injury, post-traumatic stress, and related conditions. Today, Home Base is the only private-sector clinic in New England and the largest private-sector clinic in America with the sole focus of helping at-risk veterans and military families regain the lives they once had. Home Base services are specifically designed to overcome common barriers to care for returning veterans. We provide care to all veterans and families, regardless of ability to pay or discharge status, and utilize a “three generation” model of care that extends to parents, children, and extended family members who are effectively integrated into care.
In the military, service members push the limits of their well-being to support the mission. That selfless service posture has always been necessary because service members of every era knew they may be called to war. As they move into civilian life, many veterans carry that mission-first mindset with them, neglecting their health in the process.
Team Red, White & Blue (Team RWB) believes that veterans are America’s most resilient citizens — and it’s time for more veterans to prioritize their well-being first. Team RWB exists to guide them through that journey with real-life and virtual opportunities focused on building a healthier lifestyle because a strong focus on mental and physical health is critical to ensuring veterans’ best days are ahead.
Warriors & Quiet Waters (WQW) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization serving post-9/11 combat veterans, including disabled veterans, and their loved ones. After years of paying service to our country, post-9/11 combat veterans find themselves with a new mission: finding their purpose in civilian life. WQW helps guide veterans and their loved ones to thrive and find peace, meaning, and purpose through fly fishing and other inspirational activities in nature.
“It’s about how we treat our veterans every single day of the year. It’s about making sure they have the care they need and the benefits that they’ve earned when they come home. It’s about serving all of you as well as you’ve served the United States of America.”
— Barack Obama